Strategies for Safe Classroom Conversations (Volume 2, Episode 2)

Many challenging, controversial, and emotional social issues have impacted the climate and interactions across students, staff, and schools. To ensure that discussions around these issues are safe and productive, staff need to be trained to teach and guide students in the necessary discussion expectations, ground rules, and conflict prevention and resolution strategies. Davey and Angela unpack Dr. Howie's Blog on this topic. The conversation offers strategies for leading productive classroom discussions on sensitive topics like race, religion, and current events. The Blog is anchored by an antisemitic incident at a girls' basketball game, highlighting the need for proactive, rather than reactive, teaching of social-emotional skills and conflict resolution. The presentation provides a framework for preparing and facilitating challenging discussions, including choosing appropriate teachers, preparing students with ground rules and respectful disagreement techniques, and managing challenging moments. Specific strategies for pre-lesson, in-lesson, and post-lesson phases are detailed, drawing upon research from various educational institutions. Ultimately, the goal is to cultivate a safer, more inclusive classroom environment where students can engage respectfully with diverse perspectives.